Both Waugh and Warne told a media conference in Adelaide that they were naive and stupid in accepting the money, but denied any involvement in match fixing or bribery.

Waugh said he took Australian $ 6,000 for giving the bookmaker what he called ``mundane information'' which could be gathered at any pre-match news conference.

Warne, whose multi-million dollar contract with US sports apparel giant Nike Inc. hung in the balance, said the bookmaker paid him Australian $5,000 for routine information about the pitch and weather. Both players were fined in 1995 by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) for their actions.

``He asked me general questions about what the Australian team expected from the pitch and weather conditions, but at no stage did I discuss team tactics or line-ups,'' Waughsaid.

Waugh said he was asked in early 1995 by the ACB whether he had given an Indian bookmaker information. He said he had and that he was fined A $10,000 and that he paid the fine immediately.

``I have never spoken to the bookmaker again,'' he said.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed said the Australian governing body believed that no other players were involved and felt the fines imposed in February 1995 were sufficient punishment.

The payments occurred during the same tour in which former Pakistan captain Salim Malik was accused of offering bribes. Warne, Waugh and former Australia player Tim May accused Malik of offering them bribes on the tour, allegations which later became the centre of a judicial inquiry into corruption in cricket in Pakistan.

Reacting to the development Malik said in Karachi that admissions by Waugh and Warne proved his own innocence of bribery allegations. Malik said he was considering legal action against the two Australians and claimed he had been the victim of aconspiracy.

A Pakistan judge investigating the bribery allegations said today's statements had changed the ``scenario'' completely and had affected the players' credibility.

Meanwhile the Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED) may look into possible foreign exchange violations in the payment made by the Chennai bookmaker, sources in the directorate said.

If an Indian bookmaker had paid foreign currency without valid clearances, it would amount to a violation of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), the sources said here.